THURSO to ISLE OF SKYE – over the sea

Wednesday – morning has come and the misty fog is still here. Let’s hope that the day clears up. Take a little walk around Thurso  and then breakfast of the usual fare and on the coach we go.

I forgot all about the walk down to the river that I said I was going to do! We are heading off to the Isle of Skye today.

Farewell to Thurso – heading south, we retrace our steps down to Dornoch and then head west to Ledmore and South to Ullapool.  As we go along we see lots more lochs and mountains. We also see some really picturesque castles snuggled away in the countryside.

We do not find out the name of this castle – we zip past and it’s all I can do to get the photo.  As you can gather I am in the window seat today.

I can just imagine this place in Winter – covered in snow – – – huge fires burning in the rooms – hot alcoholic beverages and soups and stews — but I digress.  My imagination takes off at the slightest chance of a daydream – especially when I think of the photos that would make for some good Kodak moments.  The countryside is wonderful and is totally unlike anything back home in Oz.

Here we are in Ullapool – a fishing village on the West coast of Scotland.

Very picturesque place with its white buildings and grey roofs so take lots more photos.  We stay here for lunch so I find a little sandwich shop on the top of a hill (what is it with me and hills?) and get something to eat and drink and then back down the hill to sit down on the pier. It is very relaxing just sitting there watching the water and the sea gulls and it’s a time to reflect on what has gone on before and what is still ahead of me.

Walk along the shoreline and explore the shops and buy a couple of fridge magnet souvenirs.

On the coach again and – – we pass through more of the spectacular highland countryside.

Lots of heather, lochs and Kodak moments. It is just so picturesque – don’t you agree?  So many inland waterways – yep – today was good to be near the window for sure, but then again we do stop for Kodak moments so it is fair for everyone.

We arrive at Kyle of Lochalsh where there is a bridge that goes over to the Isle of Skye.  We get a chance to stretch our legs (read take more photos) so I make the most of it and take off and then it’s back on the coach.

Going over the bridge we have to pay a toll (not us but Insight) and from what I gather the locals are not too happy about having to fork over their hard earned money. But let’s leave local politics alone shall we?

We go past the ‘yep it’s because of the hot Summer’ mist covered mountains and hope – just hope – that when we do our sightseeing tour we can actually see the sights!

We arrive at our hotel and the place is packed. Paul has told us that today is the busiest day of the year on Skye. The Skye Highland games are on but apparently today was the last day. Remember the phrase – you should have been here yesterday? Well it is the going phrase told to us.

I check into my room – very interesting. We have been forewarned to pack what we need for overnight into our small bags as the hotel is really small and we cannot take our big suitcase.

Right about that – tiny, tiny hotel in Portree – The Tongadale – tiny but cosy.  We have to go through the dining area to get to our rooms. The key to my room is on a dirty big 12 inch bit of wood. Now that’s a key ring!!! My room is up the narrow staircase, at the front of the hotel and above the bar – hmmmmm.

Here’s Kenny cleaning the windows of the coach.  My room is the one above the word ‘Tongadale’ with the open window.

After settling in – I walk up the hill (yep, there’s a hill again) to the area where the games are and there are still lots of people. I have a chat to the local fire brigade who tells me that Aussies have taken out some major prizes in the hammer throw and the caber tossing.

Wish we were there earlier in the day to cheer them on.  Some divisions of the hammer throw are still going so I sit and watch a bit of that and take some photos. The guys have to chuck a dirty great bit of iron backwards over their head and over a bar – the one who gets it over the bar at the highest level wins. All a bit too much like hard work to me – and I wonder if any of the tossers (and I use that phrase in the nicest possible way) ever get hurt by not moving out of the way quick enough when the bit of iron starts falling back to earth!

After watching some of the highland fun I walk back down the hill – that makes a nice change and back to the main part of town to look around.  I see a nice little jewellers shop and decide I want to buy a ring – so in I go and find exactly what I want.  The ring costs ₤100 but hey, you can’t take it with you. Anyway I beat the saleslady down to ₤90 – so I tell myself it’s a bargain to boot. Am told that the ring is handmade by a Scot on the east coast of Scotland and who am I to argue. Tourist idiot!

I am also told that there is to be a street march by pipers later on that evening and they go right by our hotel which means right by my room. A good Kodak moment coming up I think.

Dinner is a bit early tonight because we are going on another optional.  At dinner I am sitting with a lady who is complaining about her room mate.  She has opted for not paying the single supplement and has taken a chance on either getting a really good room mate or not!  According to her she did not!  Talk about a whinger.

She then proceeds to tell me about the wonderful jewellery she has bought and I wonder why on earth she didn’t pay the single supplement of $700 for the entire trip and then she could have had a room all to herself and the person she now rooms with would have had some peace!  Ho hum!!!!

Back to dinner before I end up whacking her one!  Our meal consists of Seafood Mousse served on an Oatmeal Cake, Roast Pork and Veggies and something called Clootie. Like plum pudding and custard. No sooner finish dinner and I hear the sound of bagpipes.

The march has started so I race up the stairs – grab the cameras and hang out the window – but I am too late. They must have thought the British were coming and have taken off at a trot. So race back down the stairs to the square where they have assembled.

They are in casual garb and then they proceed to march up and down the little street. Everyone is trying to get the best photos – so where do I stand – yep – in the middle of the street. That’s OK – there is no traffic just marching pipers! There is a local fair tonight to finish off the highland celebrations and the pipers are a local group. They are pretty good. We stay and listen for a while and then we set off for –

#5 OPTIONAL: Drive around the Isle of Skye. Cost ₤10.00.

The bus heads off for our tour with a local guide. Surprise, surprise – after a clear afternoon the mist has rolled in. You can hardly see a thing but it clears every now and again for our Kodak moments. We pass the Cuillin hills and nearly see The Old Man of Storr. Some dirty big mountainous rocks out there in the mist. It is getting late but it is still light.

The countryside when we can see it is breathtaking.  It would be great to have a wonderful sunny day – clear skies and all the time in the world to amble around this place.

We head up to the grave site of Flora McDonald  (I’ve got a seagull on my head in Inverness) and ‘we listen to her story’.  It is very interesting so make sure you hit the link to find out more about this amazing woman.

Our local guide is very informative and funny. He said it is usually clear but due to the hot Summer and the mists etc – yeah I heard it all before.  This story has even spread to Skye.

Sunset is about 10pm – very eerie and a good opportunity for some more photos – and then we head back to our hotel.

Because the days are very long we do not realise how much we get done in the day and we are exhausted – but excited nonetheless.

When we get back to our hotel the joint is jumping and I have to fight my way through the crowd just to get my key.  I now realise why it’s on the dirty big bit of wood. It’s really a weapon and I need it to fight and clear a path up the stairway.

I am glad to finally reach my room to relax. I think to myself this is going to be fabulous to lie in bed and listen to the pipers. Nice hot shower and get into the bed which promptly sinks in the middle so that my feet and head are about 12 inches higher than my backside which is about 3 inches off the floor. I look like a boomerang. I get the giggles and can’t stop laughing – I also discover that I can’t get out of the bed.

Oh well, this is going to be an interesting night – but I fall asleep listening to the bagpipes and all is well with the world.

Highlight of the day: the fabulous Scottish countryside